The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1887-08-26
QUEER BEASTS.
Strange Specimens of Animal
Life Found in Arizona.
Reptiles and Insects Both
Harmless and Otherwise.

There are many species of lizards
abOunding upon the sandy "misas,"
writes a Globe (Arizona) correspondent
to the San Francisco Chronicle; one can
hardly move a rock without disturbing
the siesta of one or more of these bright
eyed, inotfensive little creatures, which
seem to prove themselves descendants of
Eve, for more curious bits of animal
life were never known. Thus curiosity
will even overcome their natural fears
for while writing upon large rock two
or three came out and ventured clear up
to the paper, tasted an envelope, and
upon being frightened away soon re-
turned to pursue their Investigations,
which, could a person keep quiet
enough, would be carried to a rather OBJ
noxious extent.
The horned toad is another little ami
NAL which seems to have fondness for
human company, and many of them make
their home under porches and steps.
They much resemble large lizard, save
that around their necks is number of
sharp projecting horns about half an inch
long and the same distance apart, and
which gives to them most ferocious
look. They are of a dark stone color and
perfectly harmless. There are quite good
many centipedes, which, however, it is
well to inspect from a distance. Upon
seeing the first one running across room
person is ready to take his oath that
the reptile is not less than three feet in
length, but which, upon actual measure
ment, would probably be about nine
inches, as that is the average length.
They are sort of transparent brown and
have two rows of legs the entire length
CT the body. They are put together in
sections, and look like the hundred leg
ged worms often found in Ohio around
rotten wood or under old boards. 1t is
not the bite of the centipcdc that is so
poisonous, but each end of his numerous
claws contains the venom, and when
frightened, or an attempt is made to
brush him off, every claw is fastened into
the flesh and the poison discharged. The
only way when one gets on to any pOr-
tiOn of the flesh is to keep perfectly
quiet until the visitor walks off of his
own account. This, however, is by no
means easy thing to do, as one at first
IC ont tn Cd
endeavOr to remove the offender This
poison is never known to prove fatal, but
produces an intense irritation which will
affect the whole system in the same man
ner as the bite of a rattlesnake.
Tarantulas are to be found quite
plenty in the mountains, and when camp
ing out our party had frequently to shoot
a number in order to clear spot on
which to spread their blankets. This
may seem small game for shooting, but
a mans revolver is his handiest weapon
in this country. These tarantulas look
like huge spiders, with legs about two
inches long and covered with long black
hair. 1t is not safe to get too near one
of these creatures, as they are capable of
springing INTO the air several feet, and
are apt to alight too near one for personal
comfort; yet if left alone they will never
modest one. But they are furious war
TiOrs among themselves, often fighting
one another for several days. Their bite
is poisonous, but not dangerously so.
Scorpions are found to be quite plenty
around the foothills, and their sting is
very painful. They resemble a mon
strous flea and are very fond of crawling
into beds. Many people, newcomers es-
pecially, are in the habit of making a
thorough examination of their couch be-
fore retiring, not caring to receive the
warm reception which would be awarded
them by these small intruders. There
is a small insect about the size of q flea,
dark brown color and without wings,
which lives in the sand and is said to be
the most poisonous of anything here. It
is called an 'Indian killer" that being
the only name for it that can be learned.
1t, t,hOwever, is almost unknown, and after
a residence of several months I have
never seen but one, and that dead one.